Not All This Was
Sufficient To Assure Her Scrupulous Delicacy:
She remained constant in
her determination; and all he could prevail on her, was leave to attend
her as far as Leghorn, to secure her from any second attempt the
injurious count might possibly make.
After this they entered into some discourse of Melanthe, and whether it
would be proper for Louisa to write her an account of this affair, and
the count's perfidiousness. Monsieur du Plessis said, he thought that
the late usage she had received from that lady, deserved not she should
take any interest in her affairs; but it was not this that hindered
Louisa from doing it: - the remembrance of the kindness she had once been
treated with by her, more than balanced, in her way of thinking, all the
insults that succeeded it; and when she reflected how much Melanthe
loved the count, and that she had already granted him all the favours in
her power, it seemed to her rather an act of cruelty than friendship, to
acquaint her with this ingratitude, and thereby anticipate a misfortune,
which, perhaps, by his artifices and continued dissimulation, might be
for a long time concealed: therefore, for this reason, she exacted a
promise from monsieur du Plessis not to make any noise of this affair
at his return to Venice, unless the count, by some rash and precipitate
behaviour, should enforce him to it.
This injunction discovered so forgiving a sweetness of disposition in
the person who made it, that monsieur du Plessis could not refrain
testifying his admiration by the most passionate exclamations; in which
perhaps he had continued longer, had not the eyes of the fair object
discovered a certain languishment, which reminded him, he should be
wanting in the respect he professed, to detain her any longer from that
repose, which, seemed necessary, after the extraordinary hurry of
spirits she had sustained; therefore having taken his leave of her for
that night, retired to a chamber he had ordered to be got ready for him,
as did she to that where she had been so lately disturbed: but all those
who are in the least capable of any idea of those emotions, which
agitated the minds of both these amiable persons, will believe neither
of them slept much that night.
CHAP. XVI.
The Innkeepers scruples oblige Louisa to write to Melanthe: her
behavior on the discovery of the count's falshood. Louisa changes her
resolution and goes to Bolognia.
Monsieur du Plessis, having found it impossible to dissuade Louisa from
going to England, now bent his whole thoughts to perform his promise of
conducting her to Leghorn, in the most commodious manner he could;
accordingly he rose very early, and calling for the man of the house,
desired he would provide a handsome post chaise, and if he knew any
fellows whose integrity might be relied on, he thought necessary to hire
two such, who, furnished with fire-arms, might serve as a guard against
any attack the count might take it into his head to make.
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